Samsung executive says Windows 8 is 'no better than Windows Vista'

Windows 8 is no better than Microsoft's much-maligned Windows Vista, at least in the eyes of Samsung memory chip division president Jun Dong-soo.

''The global PC industry is steadily shrinking despite the launch of Windows 8," said the senior Samsung executive today at the COEX InterContinental Hotel in Seoul.

"I think the Windows 8 system is no better than the previous Windows Vista platform."

Jun laid the blame for stagnant PC sales at Microsoft's doorstep and said that the PC industry would gradually phase out, in a grim forecast picked up by The Korea Times on Friday.

Not exactly putting the Win in Windows 8

Samsung is heavily cutting production of PC memory chips, according to Jun, who sees the market as volatile and cyclical.

That feelings are backed up by data from research firm IDC, which recently reestimated PC shipments for 2013 from 2.8 percent growth to 1.3 percent growth.

With just 345.8 million PC shipments projected by this IDC data, the firm echoed Jun's comments, citing "underwhelming reception to Windows 8" as well as tablets undercutting PC sales.

Not even the vast marketing effort by Microsoft has been enough for its new operating system.

The company committed up to $1.8 billion (about £1.2 billion, AUD$1.76 billion) to promote Windows 8, but has seen "little life" since the Oct. 26 launch.

Microsoft, meanwhile, has said that its Windows 8 sales on "on par" with those of Windows 7 during its first three months of availability.

The future of Samsung

Taking all of this into account, Samsung will be focusing on mobile memory for tablets and smartphones.

''The market will see a supply-and demand balance in the second quarter and Samsung expects more demand in the latter half for mobile DRAMs, which are more profitable than conventional chips,'' Jun told The Korea Times.

However, the even-handed executive said that Samsung is waiting to check consumer demand even for smartphones and tablets before it finalizes its investment plans in more facilities.

''Sony, Taiwan's HTC, Nokia and LG Electronics are very aggressive in their smartphone businesses, increasing the demand for mobile DRAM chips," he said, calling out some of Samsung's biggest rivals.

"But we should check out whether the demand is real or false. That's why Samsung is hesitating to finalize this year's investment.''

One smartphone that my spur that "real" consumer demand for the industry is the Galaxy S4, a phone from none other than Samsung.

That Samsung Galaxy S4 is expected to be the company's next big announcement scheduled for next week, Thursday, March 14.